Punta Islita Hotel

Hotel Punta Islita, Autograph Collection sits on the hillside above Punta Islita Beach on Costa Rica's Guanacaste coast. Rooms, suites and villas spread across the slope, and guests move between two pools, Aura Beach Club and the restaurants.

The main infinity pool, with a whirlpool alongside and an ocean outlook, is kept for guests aged 16 and over, while Los Coco Beach Pool suits families. Alma Restaurant cooks with local ingredients, and Aura serves ceviche, seafood and pizza by the beach. Museo Islita shows and sells work by local artists, and the Nanku Wellbeing Center looks after guests before and after the wedding.

The hotel names four settings for ceremonies and parties. Galería Gardens has mountain and ocean views, Deck del Roble is a small deck built around an oak tree, Infinity Islita is a viewpoint suited to small weddings and cocktails, and Aura Lounge is a covered corner of the beach restaurant. The Mary Anne Zurcher Gallery seats up to 40 for a banquet, and the largest event space takes 200.

An in-house catering team handles the food, and a Catholic chapel in the local community is easy to reach. Ask the team about legal ceremonies, dinner locations, the music curfew and which space suits your guest numbers.

The hotel has rooms, suites and villas, including a three-bedroom villa, and groups booking ten or more rooms can ask for a special rate. Through Explore Together, guests can also book on their own at the best available rate.

Complimentary experiences include hiking, monkey safaris, art projects and traditional cooking lessons, with a canopy zip-line and horse riding on top. The Wild Scarlet Macaw Reserve and the Camaronal Sea Turtle Refuge are nearby, as are the beach towns of Carrillo and Sámara. Fly into Liberia (LIR), then ask about the shared shuttle or a local flight to Punta Islita Airport.